We get around.

When mixed-use goes wrong

Above is part of the site plan for a mixed-use development called Brookside Center in suburban Coventry, Rhode Island. right (north) side of the site will hold 44 residential units in duplex condominiums. To the lower left will be a grouping of 60 townhouses centered around open space. To the upper left will be 50,000 square feet of retail and office space centered around a town green, including an already existing restaurant and bank, as well as access to the main frontage, which leads to a nearby supermarket (less than 1/3 mile away) and several restaurants.

This seems like a no-brainer for a walkable development. But what seems to be missing for those 19 residential units in the northern end of the development?

A sidewalk.

And in case you thought it was just an error in the site plan, here’s a rendering:

Without a sidewalk, the developer’s message is clear: drive everywhere, even if it’s 500 feet up the street. It’s amazing how something so simple can say so much about their predispositions.

About the Author

Chris O'Leary is a transportation geek who has been reading and drawing maps since the age of 3. He thinks he knows far more than he does, but shares his somewhat informed opinions about mass transit, roads, and urban design here. He was born in Rhode Island and lives in New York City. He hates writing about himself in the third person.